1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to warning devices and, more particularly, to an improved auxiliary vehicle warning system.
2. Prior Art
It has been recently discovered that vehicle brake warning lights are much easier to see at a distance and more eye catching at any range when at about the eye level of the driver of a vehicle trailing behind the braking vehicle. Unfortunately, most vehicles only are presently equipped with permanent, low viewing angle, difficult to see rear brake lights built into the vehicle rear. Accordingly, in order to improve vehicle driving safety there is a need for an improved, inexpensive, durable auxiliary visual vehicle warning device capable of being easily and detachably mounted at about the rear of a vehicle and at a desired eye level. Such device preferably should utilize existing vehicle circuitry and be capable of being installed by any vehicle driver with few or no tools in a minimun amount of time.
In view of the large number of vehicles which become disabled on the road, there is also a substantial need of an improved "disabled condition" signaling system which can be operated from the inside of the vehicle and which will be visable at a considerable distance. Such device preferably also should be capable of transmitting to drivers of other vehicles to pedestrians and other messages, such as warning of a need for police action, in the case of rape, robbery, kidnapping, etc. It would also be desirable if such a warning system could be activated by a remote radio signal to visually display a message regarding a road hazard, and/or could be activated by a radar signal to warn a trailing vehicle of too close an approach.